Abu Dhabi GP: Hülkenberg penalized by three places

Nico Hülkenberg has received a three-place grid penalty for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Haas driver, who had qualified in 4th position, will ultimately start from 7th place after overtaking two cars in the pit lane exit, in violation of the race director’s instructions.

The stewards explained their decision in an official statement: « The driver did not contest during the hearing that he did not follow the race director’s instructions, but stated that he had no other option but to break the rules to complete a timed lap. » However, they added that the team’s garage positioning, although limiting, could not justify a violation of the regulations.

This demotion changes the starting order, with Max Verstappen inheriting the 4th position, followed by Pierre Gasly in 5th place and George Russell in 6th. Hülkenberg, on the other hand, will now start from the fourth row, alongside Fernando Alonso who is 8th on the starting grid.

Ayao Komatsu, the team principal of Haas, stated about the incident: « In Q1, Nico overtook cars in the pit lane exit, which is illegal, so we received a 3-place grid penalty. It’s a shame, but his performance in Q3 and overall showed incredible speed. We have a pretty solid car with good pace, so we will do everything to achieve the best possible position.

Before the announcement of the sanction, Hülkenberg had shown satisfaction with his performance in qualifying and throughout the weekend. Indeed, he had stated to the media: “I had a good feeling since the free practice yesterday and I knew that the top 10 was definitely possible this weekend. But as good? No, I didn’t expect that.”

Haas vs Alpine: The battle for 6th place

Things are getting more complicated for Haas in the fight against Alpine for sixth place in the Formula 1 constructors’ championship. With 59 points on the board and a five-point deficit to their rival Alpine, Haas must score at least six points in this final race of the season to overtake their competitor.

Komatsu had mentioned this duel during the team directors’ press conference: Our state of mind is totally different from last week. It is not enough to do as well as them or to score the same number of points. We must outdo them by six points. To score six points is a considerable challenge. We must focus on putting our two drivers in a position to score points as high as possible.

But Haas’ situation became delicate with Kevin Magnussen’s poor qualification in 14th place. He had a difficult session, hitting a track limit marker in Q1. Commenting on the incident, Komatsu detailed the consequences: “Unfortunately, when Kevin was trying to give way to Hamilton, he went over the kerb, causing serious damage to the car. In Q2, the aerodynamics of his car had suffered significant damage, leaving him no chance of reaching Q3.”

The Haas team principal, however, believed that Magnussen had the necessary skills to reach Q3, which would have strengthened their position against Alpine. This absence represents a missed opportunity to score important points in their ranking battle.

On the French team and race objectives, Hülkenberg said: Alpine has been strong lately, but we are all very close to each other. It will all depend on race moments and strategy. The important thing is to maximize our opportunities and leave nothing to chance.

The task therefore appears to be complex for Haas F1, which must at least achieve an 8th and a 9th place while hoping that Alpine does not score any points. This situation contrasts with the one before the São Paulo Grand Prix, where Haas seemed to have the advantage in this battle. But the surprise podium and the 33 points of Alpine in Brazil had then upset the hierarchy in the constructors’ championship.

The financial stakes of this ranking battle are significant, especially since the difference in earnings between 6th and 7th place is estimated at around $10 million in prize money for the teams, which represents a substantial share for mid-grid teams like Haas and Alpine.